Thousands of Norwegian fans took part in a huge ‘Viking Row’ celebration in Oslo on Tuesday after their team advanced to the World Cup round of 16, in a night of wild joy that left a trail of damage on metro trains and city streets.
A huge crowd dressed in red, blue and white stretched from the Royal Palace, hundreds of meters along Karl Johans Gate, the city’s main street, performing the synchronized rowing action that has become the trademark of Norwegian fans during their team’s World Cup matches in the United States.
Norway defeated Ivory Coast 2-1 on Tuesday in their first knockout round win at a World Cup, sending tens of thousands of fans into the streets of Oslo to celebrate.
Near the Royal Palace, overenthusiastic partygoers uprooted plants and demolished fence posts.
“I don’t dare to think what will happen if we reach the final,” Royal Gardener Ole Johan Hildre told the Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
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Transport authorities had to take subway cars out of service for repairs after fans tore down advertisements and dented the ceilings of the cars during post-match revelry.
“It’s a shame that people get so carried away that it affects our equipment,” Gina Scholz, communications manager for transport company Sporveien, told local media, although she then added: “It was a fantastic evening.”
More than two million of Norway’s roughly 5.5 million residents watched the match, according to estimates from TV2, the commercial broadcaster that shares the rights to the tournament.
Published on July 1, 2026
